Spring is a time to clean and get our collective house in order. This week we launched our campaign to bring our budget into alignment with our values by holding the richest corporations in California and Alameda County’s Sheriff Ahern accountable for the neglect and harm they’re piling on our communities.
We all want the best schools for our young people and great parks, libraries, and health clinics in our communities. But today, some of the wealthiest corporations in the world refuse to pay their fair share of property taxes in California which means less money for education, our neighborhoods and the services we all depend on. They rake in record profits while starving schools of funding and keeping our roads full of potholes and hazards.
Let’s get ready to ensure our schools and communities have the resources we need by uniting for the Schools and Communities First initiative on the November 2020 ballot. It’s Time to Invest in Us!
Another way we’re working to get our house in order is by holding Alameda County Sheriff, Gregory Ahern, and his office accountable for their actions that have harmed our community (Get the facts). With our partners at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights leading the fight, we are calling for an audit of the Sheriff’s department which is responsible for:
- more public money going to payouts for civil rights abuses by deputies than any other county in the region;
- 34 in-custody deaths under Sheriff Ahern’s watch since 2013;
- mistreatment and abuse of pregnant women; and
- deputies illegally recording privileged conversations between minors and their attorneys.
We need an independent audit of Sheriff Ahern’s Department to reveal how he is spending public money, improve transparency and accountability, and redirect resources to benefit our communities rather than abusing our neighbors and locking them up.
Join us to bring our budget – in Alameda County and across our state – into alignment with our values, and put our schools and communities first! Take a moment to call your Alameda Co. Supervisor today and urge them to conduct an independent audit of the Sheriff’s Department (Find your district here.)
Oakland Rising and our collaborative partners are united in our vision for a city that embodies health, happiness, safety, and equal opportunities for all. Our goal is to create a model of progress and sustainability that showcases the possibilities for American cities in the 21st century. We are committed to dismantling the barriers of racial, economic, political, environmental, and educational inequities that have divided us, and instead, embracing the collective strength found in our city’s diversity. We firmly believe that Oakland can achieve its full potential when every resident, student, and bus rider has the ability to shape our city’s future. This vision is attainable and we are determined to realize it through our collective actions, whether it’s through voting, meetings, or call to actions.
Every year, we release a Vision, Issues, and Policy Platform (VIPP) which outlines the annual policies that we and our eight partner organizations prioritize in order to advance racial, economic, and environmental justice in the Town. Our collaborative’s agenda encompasses a range of critical initiatives, from expanding affordable housing to creating a more equitable democracy through campaign finance reforms. These priorities are designed to provide vital protections and innovative solutions for the most vulnerable members of our community. As we continue our efforts to promote these policies, we hold conversations with thousands of voters, lead and co-host impactful town hall meetings, educate and mobilize residents and voters, and undertake various other initiatives.
To gain a deeper understanding of our commitment to resist, protect, and advance in this political moment, we invite you to explore our 2023 Vision, Issues, and Policy Platform. Together, we are making strides towards a more equitable and just Oakland, and we remain steadfast in our pursuit of change, one vote, one meeting, one march at a time.
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Oakland Rising is a project from our hearts for the people of Oakland. Thank you for your contribution!